Latest news with #Greenville-based
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
If passed, bill would impact South Carolina's short-term rental process
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – If you've ever used a short-term rental company like Airbnb or VRBO — you might want to continue reading, because a bill in the South Carolina State House may change the way the companies operate. The bill, which passed in the state house, could change how taxes on short-term rentals are collected. The legislation is concerning to some property management companies. Currently, when booking through a short-term rental platform, the service collects accommodations and sales taxes to then send to the state. If ratified, renters would after paying taxes directly to a property manager. David Bergmann works for with Bluefield Realty Group, a Greenville-based short-term rental compony; he said the change would be bad for business. 'This would leave our business in a spot where we may not be here a year from now,' he said. The bill's sponsor, Representative Lee Hewitt (R – Georgetown) admitted the bill has been controversial, because it deals with tax money that goes to counties and cities. 'The cities and the county said, 'because these are rentals and commercial residential type properties, it demands more services from us, so we need to collect more taxes from them,' so if it is a house, which is what it is now being used as — it should be taxed like a house,' Hewitt said. Airbnb called the bill unnecessary because the marketplace platforms currently collect and send accommodation taxes on behalf of property management companies. '[It] create[s] substantial complications by creating three separate regimes for collecting local taxes, something no other state requires,' a company statement reads. For Bergmann, it's all about power and control. He said lawmakers want to see the industry revert back to what it was 20 years ago. 'But the way that the industry has moved is towards third party intermediary, who protects the consumers,' he continued. 'The legacy property managers and those that represent them would like to introduce bills that would take us back to the old way of doing things.' Airbnb added that the bill would create privacy concerns for guests, because it would require accommodation intermediaries to provide confidential consumer information — including credit card numbers — to hosts. If the bill is passed by the Senate in 2026 and signed by Governor Henry McMaster, it will become law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
USA Today names Spinx among best gas stations for food
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) — Spinx was recently named on the USA Today's 10Best list for the best gas stations for in at number 7 on the list, Spinx was recognized for the 'cost-saving Spinx Xtra offers.' The Greenville-based gas station and convenience store chain got its start back in 1972 after Stewart Spinks opened the store's first location at the intersection of Laurens Road and East Washington Street. 'This gas station and convenience store serves traditional snack foods like packaged snacks, bottled beverages, and fountain sodas, in addition to a menu of fresh breakfast foods, sides, sandwiches, wraps, and their renowned fried chicken,' the list noted. Nowadays, the chain operates more than 80 convenience store locations in the Palmetto State. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Myrtle Beach set to help finance 54-unit workforce housing complex
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach leaders on Tuesday supported a multi-step financing plan that would help cover costs of an $18 million workforce housing project. 'Municipal backing is extremely important and boosts the project's competitiveness in a highly selected funding process,' community engagement office director Kelvin Waites said. Under terms of the agreement, Greenville-based Schaumber Development would get a 2% voucher for each of its 54 units, or $360,000. If the project then wins state approval, the city would take out a 20-year, $180,000 loan to meet SC Housing guidelines. Conway mayor apologizes to developer after workforce housing plan dies, vows to keep topic a priority The firm — which also operates Swansgate II on Dunbar Street — wants to put two buildings on Oak Street. Rents would sit between $370 and $1,100 a month based on annual incomes of $18,000 for a single person to $52,000 for a family of four. 'We continue to have workforce housing conversations and discussions and strategy sessions about how we move the needle in the city on how to create more product,' Brian Tucker, the city's assistant city manager, said last month. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Freedom & Clean Water for the Soul - A World Away – And Based In Greenville – Charity Frees Children, Delivers Clean Water
Sarah Kelley's children can turn on any faucet in their Greenville home and pour a glass of clean water. The children she helps thousands of miles away cannot. It's been nine years since Kelley traveled to a village in Sierra Leone to watch her coworkers and a local crew drill a water well. As the crew was setting up, Kelley saw a mother from the village walk past, a daughter by her side and a toddler strapped to her back. 'I followed them,' Kelley says. 'We came to … the technical term is an 'open well' … but it's a hole in the ground. The water has bugs and debris. It's gross.' The woman's daughter hooked a bucket onto a long stick with a notch. 'She lowers the bucket into this well and pulls it back up. The mother puts the bucket on her head, and they slowly start back up the path.' At that time, Kelley had been with Greenville-based Set Free Alliance for six months. Today, she is its CEO. 'Watching, I understood how important this work is. My two kids were about the same age. The only thing separating our two families was where I happened to be born and where they happened to be born. I had overwhelming gratitude. My kids can turn on any faucet in our house. And that water is clean. But this family … this water would probably make them sick.' Because Set Free's work is funded solely by donations, the work is not impacted by recent cuts in federal aid, says Andrew Hendricks, an Upstate native and Program Director of Set Free. 'Set Free is proud to not skip a beat.' The Christian-based charity was founded by Upstate engineer Roland Bergeron, who led missions in the early 2000s to drill water wells in Honduras. 'Roland realized that we were doing the right thing, but in the wrong location,' Kelley says. Bergeron switched the group's focus to Liberia and began fundraising with Brookwood Church in Simpsonville to purchase a drill rig. He partnered with the Christian Revival Church Association in Liberia. 'They actually practiced drilling on the campus of Brookwood Church and shipped it over. In the first years, it was him flying over with a couple of people from the United States who would find indigenous Liberian crews and train them to drill water wells,' Kelley says. Bergeron turned over his home-building business to his son in 2010 and began working full time to bring water and Christianity to Liberia, Sierra Leone and India. He also established the organization's model: partner with a local pastor and a local drilling crew; help pastors establish churches; train crews to drill and repair wells and then verify their work. 'If you don't have training, you don't know that this $5,000 well isn't working because of a 50-cent seal. That's the most common part that goes bad, and they're readily available in village markets,' Kelley says. Set Free finished its work in Liberia two years ago and donated the equipment to a local organization. But Set Free's work in Sierra Leone and India was already progressing and continues – establishing churches, drilling wells and repairing wells. In India, the life-giving and lifesaving mission expanded to include medical clinics and and freeing children from their slave labor in brick factories and slate quarries. The mission to rescue children also began with Bergeron, who has since retired and passed leadership to Kelley. 'Our main partner took Roland to a mine and showed him that the mine was full of kids in slavery,' Hendricks says. Bergeron was determined to help. 'In the middle of the night, we go into these mines, brick factories and take kids out. It's a massive undertaking, an undercover operation that takes tons of planning,' Hendricks says. 'Most people doing this work are pastors, and they're putting their lives on the line.' Typically, the rescues occur during a Hindu festival, when mine operators are partying and distracted. Civilians don't carry guns in India, but the work is dangerous, Hendricks says. During an early rescue, three pastors were caught, beaten and killed. Up to 100 rescuers hike through the woods to remote locations and walk back out with as many as 2,500 children, who are taken in different directions to dozens of waiting vehicles, Hendricks says. About 1,200 rescued children live at a campus built in 2018. 'They go to school. They play. They worship. They're truly loved and cared for and are reminded that they're worthy of living and being reunited with their families,' Hendricks says. Almost three-quarters of the children return to their families, but it's not possible if parents have died, can't care for the children – or if they are the ones who sold their children into slavery, he says. About 10,000 rescued children live with pastors and in church homes across India. 'A pastor and his wife usually have about 10 children in their care,' he says. Some girls make Wellas – colorful stuffed elephants handmade from scraps of material donated by young women who work in the tailoring industry. 'They're all different. They're so beautiful. The girls practice sewing and send them to us. We use them to talk about the need for clean water,' says Emily Scurry, Set Free's Director of Operations and Events. 'I have one in my breakfast room. I look at it every morning and wonder about the girl who made it, wonder what her life is like.' Set Free is nondenominational. But it is a Christian ministry. 'The foundation of everything we do is to open the doors for our pastor partners to share the gospel and plant churches. It's why we use local indigenous pastors who know the language, who know the culture,' Kelley says. 'Our work is not conditional. Drilling a well is not conditional on the village becoming Christian. But when a humanitarian need is met, the natural organic growth of the church starts.' Hendricks, who aspired to do mission work, hadn't realized that Set Free operates from his own backyard. 'There's amazing work happening around the world, and that ministry is based here in Greenville.' For information about Set Free Alliance and its humanitarian work, go to This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Freedom & Clean Water for the Soul - Greenville Charity Frees Children
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greenville approves construction of new affordable housing complex
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)– During the Greenville City Council meeting Thursday, Apr. 10, 2025, commissioners voted to approve the development of a new affordable housing complex. It's a $16.7 million investment in the community. The American Rescue Plan allocated the funds to the city in 2020. Taft Mills Group LLC is the developer of the project. It is a Greenville-based company that has also developed more than 550 affordable housing units throughout the city. They have found that with projects like these it is not uncommon to have it completely leased within 30 days of it becoming available due to the high demand. The new development will be called Turnbury Trace and it will be located on Turnbury Drive between Charles Blvd. and Arlington Blvd. 'Allocated those funds for rental development and tenan-based rental assistance program and also, the non-congregate shelters, so this fell under that umbrella,' Program Manager and Community Development Director for Greenville Neighborhood and Business Services Renee Skeen said. 'It's more important now than ever to have affordable housing opportunities available to residents of our community,' Taft Mills Group President Dustin Mills said. 'And so, that's why we do what we do and are proud to serve the residents who fall within those income brackets and are proud of the developments that we complete.' The project will have 72 units for seniors aged 55 and older. It will include an outdoor exercise facility, computer center, outdoor seating and picnic area, library reading rooms, a workout facility, laundromat, community room and management and maintenance on site. 'With this being age restricted housing, 55 and older, we obviously, as I said, share a property line with Food Lion Shopping Center,' Mills said. 'It's catty corner to an urgent care facility. There are doctor's offices and dentist offices in the immediate area and the residents could also walk to several sit down restaurants, as well as, fast food restaurants and we like the fact that the site is served by a public bus stop as well.' 'The rent rates are really high right now and seniors are on limited income so, of course, they need somewhere affordable and safe to live as well,' Skeen said. 'And we specialize in the development of this type of affordable housing. We have found that the need for affordable housing, not only in Greenville, but throughout the state and throughout the country, there's an extreme need that is not being properly met,' Mills said. 'And so, our firm specializes specifically on the development of affordable housing.' The project will break ground in late June of 2025. It will take 16-18 months to complete. They are expecting to have units available for lease starting in late 2026, early 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
